Design Principles Design Principles

Chapter 9: Pattern and TextureChapter 9: Pattern and Texture

Pattern: Creating Visual InterestPattern: Creating Visual Interest

PatternPattern – Is the repetition of – Is the repetition of a design motif.a design motif.

Early humankind found Early humankind found patterns in seasonal patterns in seasonal change and lunar cycles.change and lunar cycles.

Pattern can be intricate or Pattern can be intricate or simple. simple.

Humans have a desire to Humans have a desire to add visual interest to fill add visual interest to fill empty surfaces/spaces. empty surfaces/spaces.

Adrienne Salinger. Fred H. Photograph from Teenagers in Their Bedrooms (Chronicle Books, 1995).

Pattern: Order and VarietyPattern: Order and Variety

““Pattern begins with a unit or Pattern begins with a unit or shape that is repeated.”shape that is repeated.”Crystallographic Crystallographic – creating – creating an allover pattern.an allover pattern.Most patterns are Most patterns are gridgrid based. based. Abstract, floral motifs and Abstract, floral motifs and geometrics are frequently used geometrics are frequently used pattern subjects.pattern subjects.

Patterns are built on complex Patterns are built on complex symmetries, repetitions, and symmetries, repetitions, and rotationsrotations..M.C. Escher. Pattern Drawing (detail). Triangular module. M.C.

Escher’s Symmetry Drawing E94 © 2007 The M.C. Escher Company, Holland. All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com.

M.C. Escher. Pattern Drawing (detail). Hexagon repeat. M.C. Escher’s Symmetry Drawing E94 © 2007 The M.C. Escher

Company, Holland. All rights reserved. www.mcescher.com.

Texture and Pattern: Similarities Texture and Pattern: Similarities and Differencesand Differences

““TextureTexture arouses our sense arouses our sense of touch.” of touch.”

Texture is more of an Texture is more of an irregular repeat than a irregular repeat than a pattern. pattern.

Texture makes the object Texture makes the object feel like it has a surface feel like it has a surface quality.quality.

Texture is shown by Texture is shown by areas of light and dark, areas of light and dark, shadow and glossiness.shadow and glossiness.

Gretchen Belinger (fabric designer). Isadora (pleated silk fabric). 1981.From Contemporary Designers (London: St. James Press, 1990).

Creating Visual InterestCreating Visual Interest

Texture can evoke a Texture can evoke a memory of touch.memory of touch.

Jewelry, ceramics, Jewelry, ceramics, furniture and fiber art furniture and fiber art rely on texture to rely on texture to enhance their effect.enhance their effect.

The interior designer The interior designer is sensitive to texture.is sensitive to texture.

Elliot Barnathan. Brandywine I. Digital photograph

Tactile TextureTactile Texture

Two Categories of artistic texture: Two Categories of artistic texture: 1.1. TactileTactile - can actually be felt. - can actually be felt.2.2. ImpliedImplied - can be observed, not touched. - can be observed, not touched.

ImpastoImpasto – Creating a painting using – Creating a painting using thick pigment which creates a rough, 3D thick pigment which creates a rough, 3D surface that has texture. surface that has texture. ““Relief” painting brings tactile textures to Relief” painting brings tactile textures to a painting.a painting.

Actual Texture Actual Texture

Texture as paint.Texture as paint.As the need for As the need for illusionism in painting illusionism in painting faded, tactile texture faded, tactile texture in painting became in painting became more common.more common.Van Gogh was an Van Gogh was an early artist who used early artist who used actual paint texture on actual paint texture on his canvases.his canvases.

Vincent van Gogh. Portrait of the Artist. 1889. Oil on canvas, 65 54.5 cm. Musée d’Orsay, Paris. Wharton

Esherick. Esherick House. Wharton Esherick

Implied Texture Implied Texture

A surface that gives the A surface that gives the illusion that texture illusion that texture exists when in reality exists when in reality the surface is usually the surface is usually flat and smooth.flat and smooth.

Roy Lichtenstein, Brushstrokes. 1967. Color screen print, 1' 10" x 2' 6" (55.88 x 76.2 cm) (image) 1' 11" x 2' 7" (58.42 x 78.74 cm). © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein.

Tactile Texture - Tactile Texture - CollageCollage

Collage - Collage - Creating a design by Creating a design by cutting and pasting bits of cloth, cutting and pasting bits of cloth, textured and colored paper, and textured and colored paper, and other materials.other materials.

Why use Collage?Why use Collage?Collage is an excellent Collage is an excellent mediummedium for beginners. for beginners. The materials are easy to use and The materials are easy to use and saves the artists time in trying to saves the artists time in trying to recreate the desired texture. recreate the desired texture. Forms can be altered and Forms can be altered and reshaped quickly and easy with reshaped quickly and easy with scissors. scissors. Compositional arrangements can Compositional arrangements can be easily tested and altered. be easily tested and altered.

Anne Ryan. Untitled, No. 129. c. 1948–1954. Collage on paper, 4 3/4" x 4 1/4 " (12.x10.8 cm). Courtesy Joan T. Washburn Gallery, New York.

Tactile Texture: Tactile Texture: Using Found Using Found MaterialsMaterials

Artists often use found materials. Artists often use found materials.

Many artists enjoy working with Many artists enjoy working with materials they find, not purchase.materials they find, not purchase.

Recycling materials and not Recycling materials and not wasting them had its roots in art.wasting them had its roots in art.

An unpleasant material can be An unpleasant material can be transformed into something transformed into something pleasing.pleasing.

Folk ArtFolk Art – often works with found – often works with found materials. materials.

Anni Albers and Alex Reed. Neck piece. c. 1940. Aluminum strainer, paper clips, and chain, 4 1/4" x 3 1/8 " (10.8 x 8 cm). © 2003 The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation, Bethany, Connecticut. Photo: Tim Nighswander.

Visual Texture: VerisimilitudeVisual Texture: Verisimilitude

Visual Texture: “Visual Texture: “texture is texture is purely visual; it cannot be purely visual; it cannot be felt or touched….it is only felt or touched….it is only suggested to our eyes.”suggested to our eyes.”

Verisimilitude: Verisimilitude: Creates the Creates the impression of texture on a impression of texture on a flat smooth painted flat smooth painted surface.surface.

• Means “truly the same”.Means “truly the same”.

Pieter Claesz. Still Life with Two Lemons, a Façon de Venise Glass, Roemer,Knife and Olives on a Table. 1629. Oil on panel, 1' 47⁄8" × 1' 113⁄8"(42.8 × 59.3 cm). Anonymous loan.

Visual Texture – Visual Texture – Trompe L’OeilTrompe L’Oeil

Trompe L’OeilTrompe L’OeilFrench Term – means French Term – means “To Fool the Eye”“To Fool the Eye”Can also be defined as Can also be defined as “Deceptive Painting”“Deceptive Painting”Is it “real”? The picture Is it “real”? The picture and object are so realistic and object are so realistic that the viewer is that the viewer is momentarily fooled. momentarily fooled. Very quickly our human Very quickly our human vision realizes the trick vision realizes the trick being played.being played.

Jan-Marie Spanard. Broadway Gateway Mural (north wall detail). 1999 - 2000. Albany, New York.

Trompe L’oeilTrompe L’oeil

Artists use:Artists use:• a skillful attention to a skillful attention to

detaildetail• a low reliefa low relief• shallow space shallow space

texturestextures

All to fool our eyes!All to fool our eyes!

Ed Ruscha. Rancho. 1968. Oil on canvas, 5' height x 4' 6" width.